Combination washing and drying machine



Dec. 16, 1958 w. H. NICHOLS 2,864,249

- COMBINATION WASHING AND DRYING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1, 1953' aSheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 16, 1958 w. H. NICHOLS 2,864,

COMBINATION WASHING AND DRYING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1. 1953 s Sheets-Sheet2 MLLACE ff MC'HOLS Dec. 16, 1958 w. H. NICHOLS 2,364,249

COMBINATION WASHING AND DRYING MACHINE Filed Dem 1, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet3 Lil E T2 [57? IVA/A05 [f [Sf/0104s United States Patent COMBINATIONWASHING AND DRYING MACHINE Application December'l, 1953, Serial No.395,535

Claims. (Cl. 6819) This invention relates to a new and improvedapparatus'for washing and dryingclothes. ,A principal object of myinvention is to provide a novel and improved apparatus for washing anddrying clothes wherein the heat required to evaporate water from theclothes is reduced by absorbing water from the clothes.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel and efficient formof combined washing and drying machine in which the clothes are washedbytumbling in a drum, and water is absorbed from the clothes by a transferagent contacting the drum.

Aqfur-ther object of my invention is to provide an improved form ofclothes drying machine greatly shortening the drying time of theclothes, by absorbing water from the clothes by an absorbent transferagent contacting the clothes tumbling drum, and then removing the waterfromfthe transfer agent so as to reduce the drying time and the heatrequired to remove water from. the clothes by evaporation.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a simplifiedform ofclothes drying machine in which the clothesare contained in a rotatingdrum having an open periphery by a transfer agent of a water absorbingma terial, and in which water is removed from the Water absorbingmaterial by wringer means, engaging the same.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a new and novel formof clothes washing and dryingmachine in which the clothes are tumbled ina tumbling drum rotatable about a horizontal axis, and are con: tainedin the drum by a web or belt of water absorbent material extendingaround the drum for a greater portion of periphery thereof and forming adrive means therefor as well as a water transferring agent for trans.-ferring water fromthe clothes.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a laundry machine forclothes and the like, arranged to facilitate the operation of dryingtheclothes, by contacting the periphery of the drum with an absorbentwater transferring agent having the wet clothes in contact therewith,and by removing water from the water transfer agent and thereby reducingthe amount of water to be evaporated by heat.

These and other objects of my invention will appear fromjtime to time asthefollowi-ng specification proceeds and; with reference to theaccompanying drawings wherell'l:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a combined washing and drying machineconstructed in accordance with my invention looking toward the rear endthereof and showing certain parts broken away;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along lines II -ell ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line III-III' ofFigure 1; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged partial fragmentary sectional view taken throughthe wringer rolls and through a portion of the clothes containing drum.

2,864,249 Patented Dec. 16, 1958 tln the embodiment of my inventionillustrated in the drawings, I have shown a combined washing and dryingmachine comprising aca'binet 10 having a clothes containing tumbler drumlljournaled therein for rotation about a horizontal axis. I have alsoshown a tub 12rfor washing water in .the bottom of the cabinet 10 andextending upwardly along the sides and periphery of the tumbling drum11, for holding Washing water in said tumblingcdrum for washing clothestherein.

The bottom of the tub 12 is shown as sloping toward adrain having av T13 leading therefrom, one conduit of which is -connected with a pump 14by a conduit .15. The pump 14 serves to withdraw water from the tub 12at .theend of the washingoperation prior to the extracting or dryingoperation.

The pump 14 is shown as being mounted ona bulkhead -or .partition 16extending along the cabinet 10 intermediate the -walls thereof. Thebulkhead 16 dividessaid cabinet into a washing and drying compartment 17.and an .air circulating compartment 19. The pump =14 located inthewashing and drying compartment has a shaftc2ll extending through thebulkhead 16 into the air circulating compartment .19 and journaledintermediate .its ends in .a wall 21 of an air duct 22. The pump 14 isdr'iven from a belt 23 trained around a pulley 24 .on the shaft 20 inthe space between the wall 21 and the bulkhead 1 6. The shaft 20 alsoextends Within the air duct .22 and is shown as having a suction blower25 keyed thereto for drawing air into the duct 22 through an intake duct27.

The du'ct'f2'2, is shown in Figure 1 as extending from the suctionblower 25 along the bulkhead 16 to a position adjacent the opposite endof the cabinet 10 from the suction blower '25. Said duct then extendsupwardly along the bulkhead'l'fi and opens into the clothes washing anddrying compartment through an intake opening 29 in said bulkhead.

The air duct 22 is also shown'as having a heating element '30 therein,shown as being 'an electric heating element of a well-known form. It is,of course, obvious that the heating element need not be electric andthat a gas'burnertnot shown) may communicate with the ductZZj-forjheating the circulated air by gas.

The belt 23 is shown as being driven from a motor 31 on apla'tfo'rm 32in the air circulating compartment 19. The .motor 31 also drives asuction fan or blower 33fthrough a belt drive .34. The blower 33 is incommunication' with an exhaust opening 35 in the bulkhead '16 and servesto withdraw air from the Washing and drying compartment for exhaust tothe atmosphere through an exhaust air duct 36 leading through a rearwall'of the cabinet. The exhaust duct may if desired, be connected With,a condenser of a well known form. The airducts 22 and 3.6 and blowers25 and 33 thus serve to supply heated air to the washing and dryingcompartment'17 when desired, and to exhaust therefrom to the atmosphere;

Referring now' inpparticular to' the clothes tumbling drum 11 andcertain novel features of my. invention, the drum 11 is shown as havinga rear, wall 37, which may be perforate and-which confronts the bulkhead16 and is rotatably journaled thereon on a transverse stub. shaft39'iournaled in a bearing 40 mounted on the bulkhead 16.

The drum l1 is-also shown as having an opposite end wall 41 having aclothes receiving opening therein defined by a forwardly projectingflange 42 confronting a clothes receivingopening 43 in a front wall 44for the cabinet 10. The flange 42' is shown as overlapping a steppedflange 45 of the clothes receiving opening 43. A door 46-.is:sh'ownasclosing the=clothes receiving opening- :43 in the front wall 44 of the:cabinet' 10 and may be sealed thereto to prevent the escape of airthereby.

The front and rear walls 41 and 37 of the drier drum 11 are each shownas having annular angles 47 and 49, respectively, extending inwardlytherefrom and opening toward each other. A plurality ofcircumferentially spaced tumbling bars 50--50, are shown as connectingthe front and rear walls 41 and 37 of the drum 11 together and asextending radially inwardly from the horizontal legs of the angles 49and 47.

The forward end portion of the drum 11 is shown as being supported onspaced rollers 51-51, mounted on the outside of the tub 12, and havingrotatable supporting engagement with the flange 42.

The drum 11 is also shown as being open at its periphery between the endwalls 37 and 41, and as having a web or belt 53 of water absorbentmaterial extending therearound having direct contact with the clothes insaid drum and retaining the clothes therein. The belt 53 may be of anywell known form of water absorbent material, and as herein shown forms ameans for driving the tumbling drum 11 as well as transferring waterfrom the clothes at the end of the washing operation. Qne form of belt,which, may be used is a belt of copper screening as indicated byreference character 54 in Fig ure 4, and covered by a water absorbentmaterial 55, such as Terry cloth, Dacron with a cotton filler, orcellulose sponge material or some other suitable water absorbentmaterial. It is, of course, obvious that the absorbent material alonewithout the screen may be used if desired.

The belt 53 is shown as extending around all but a small part of theperiphery of the drum 11 and as having driving engagement with thehorizontal legs of the angles 49 and 47 The belt 53 passes from the topof the drum 11 under an idler roll 56 rotatably journaled at its ends inparallel spaced bearing support plates 57-57. The plates 57--57 are inturn supported on spaced vertical legs 59 extending upwardly from thebase of the cabinet 10. From the idler roll 56, increasing the wrap ofthe belt 53 around the drum, the belt passes over and around a powerdriven wringer roll 60 rotatably journaled at its ends in the plates5757. A cooperating reacting wringer roll 61, which is also rotatablyjournaled between the plates 57-57, is shown as pressing the beltagainst the wringer roll 60. The reaction roll 61 may be mounted in theplates 57--57 for adjustable movement toward and from the wringer roll60. The adjusting means is not herein shown or described since it may beof any well known form and is no part of my present invention.

From the wringer rolls 60 and 61, the belt then passes toward the drum11 over an idler roll 63, increasing the wrap of the belt around thedrum 11, into engagement with the horizontal legs of the angles 47 and49. The idler rolls 56 and 63, thus wrap the belt 53 around the drum 11,so that the belt extends around all but a small part of the periphery ofthe drum and confines the clothes within the drum during the tumblingoperation, both when washing and drying. While the belt is shown ashaving maximum engagement with the periphery of the drum, the extent ofengagement of the belt with the drum may be varied and under certainconditions the belt may have engagement with a small part of theperiphery of the drum.

The wringer roll 60 is shown as being driven from a motor 65 mounted onthe platform 32. As herein shown the drive from the motor 65 to thewringer roll 60 consists in a V-belt drive indicated generally by areference character 66. i

A tension idler (not shown) or some other conventional mechanical meansmay be provided to accommodate the normal stretch and shrinkage of thebelt as it is alternately wet and dried.

A trough 67 is provided beneath the wringer rolls 60 and 61, to collectthe water squeezed from the web or belt 53. As herein shown, a flexibleconduit 68 leads from the trough 67 downwardly to the T 13 and isconnected thereto and to the intake side of the pump 14.

Referring now to the use and operation of the laundry machine of myinvention, the tumbling drum 11 being filled with clothes, water andsoap or a detergent may be supplied to the tub 12 in any well knownmanner. The motor 65 may then be energized to drive the wringer roll 60and the belt 53. This will then drive the drum 11 and tumble the clothesin the washing solution in the tub 12 and wash the same by tumbling.

At the end of the washing cycle, which may be controlled by a cyclingcontrol of a form commonly used in automatic washing machines, the motor31 is energized to drive the pump 14 and drain water from the tub 12. Asherein shown, when the motor 31 is driving the pump 14, the blowers 25and 33 are also in operation to establish a circulation of air throughthe washing and drying compartment 17. It is obvious, however, that theblowers need not be driven by the pump, and that a clutch may beprovided in the drive to the pump or the blowers 25 and 33 if desired.

As the level of the water in the tub 12 drops beneath the tumbling drum11, the clothes in the drum 11 having direct contact with the travelingbelt 53 will transfer water therein directly to said belt and thereby tothe wringer rolls 60 and 61, which serve to squeeze water therefrom fordischarge from the washing and drying compartment 17 down the trough 67and return line 68 to the pump 14. This operation may be continued untilthe clothes are damp dried where it is dseired to damp dry the clothesonly. When damp drying the clothes, the transfer of water from theclothes to the absorbent belt reduces the water to be evaporated by heatand markedly shortens the damp drying operation over such operationswhich are effected in the well known forms of washing and extractingmachines due to the direct contact of the absorbent agent with theclothes and the absorption of the water therefrom.

When desired to entirely dry the clothes, the heating element 30 may beenergized, the blowers 25 and 33 circulating heated air through thewashing and drying compartment 17 and rapidlydrying the clothes therein,it being understood that the transfer of water from the clothes bydirect contact with the absorbent agent as the heated air circulatestherethrough, greatly shortens the drying time over the time which wouldnormally be required if the heated air only were circulated through thetumbling clothes by reducing the amount of water to be evaporated byheat.

It is of course obvious that while the drum is shown as having an openperiphery that it may have a perforate periphery if desired, and thatthe openings in the periphery of the drum may vary in size dependentupon the adsorptive qualities of the absorbent medium contacting theperiphery of the drum. Y

It should here be understood that while the absorbent.

belt 53 has a substantial thickness and bulk, that the material fromwhich the belt is made is selected for the high absorbent qualities andits ability to give up its moisture at a rapid rate. It should furtherbe understood that the high absorbent qualities of the belt and itsability to give up its moisture at a rapid rate results in a rapidtaking away of moisture from the clothes before the heat is turned on,thus making it possible to turn the heat on earlier in the cycle andresulting in a more efficient introduction of air into the clothes, anda considerably reduced drying time over conventional drying operations.

It may be seen from the foregoing that I have provided a novel andimproved method and apparatus for washing and drying clothes, whereinthe damp and finished drying operations are shortened, by reducing theamount of water to be evaporated by contacting the clothes with theabsorbent medium and transferring the water therefrom. 4

It may also be seen that besides transferring the water from the clothesto drain by the absorbent belt contacting the clothes, that theabsorbent medium may also serve to retain the clothes within the drierdrum and as a drive means therefor.

It will be understood that modifications and variations of the presentinvention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe novel concepts thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a laundry machine, a clothes tumbling drum journaled for rotationin a vertically extending plane and having opposite end walls and anopen periphery and an absorbing agent confining the clothes to said drumduring tumbling and transferring substantial amounts of water therefromby absorption comprising an endless absorbent belt wrapped around saiddrum, wringer rolls spaced from said drum and engaging the oppositesides of said belt for wringing the water therefrom, a motor for drivingsaid wringer rolls and belt, and other rolls spaced from said wringerrolls and wrapping said belt around substantially the entire peripheryof said drum.

2. In a laundry machine, a cabinet, a tub within said cabinet, 'aclothes tumbling drum journaled within said cabinet for rotation withinsaid tub, means for withdrawing water from said tub, said drum havingspaced end walls and tumbling bars connecting said en'd walls togetherand being open in the space between said end walls, and means forretaining clothes within said drum and absorbing water therefromcomprising an endless absorbent belt having a perforate inner surfacehaving driving engagement with said drum and contact with the clotheswithin said drum, and having a water absorbent cloth on the outside ofsaid perforate inner surface, and wringer rolls pressed into engagementwith said belt from opposite sides thereof for driving the same andwringing water therefrom.

3. In a laundry machine as defined in claim 1, a cabinet and a tub insaid cabinet for housing said drum and in which the water rejected bythe wringer rolls is collected, and a pump connected to said tub toremove the water to drain.

4. In a laundry machine as defined in claim 1, a cabinet and a tub insaid cabinet for housing said drum, and means for circulating drying airthrough said tub for drying clothes in said drum.

5. In a laundry machine as defined in claim 2, and means to rotatablydrive said wringer rolls thereby to rotate said drum through saidabsorbent belt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS491,545 Gerald Feb. 14, 1893 2,213,303 Cady Sept. 3, 1940 2,378,333Simonds June 12, 1945 2,434,476 Wales -3 Jan. 13, 1948 2,523,304 JohnsonSept. 26, 1950 2,607,209 Constantine Aug. 19, 1952 2,659,225 Ewing Nov.17, 1953 2,758,461 Tann Aug. 14, 1956

